PG&E to Lovebirds: Make Sure the Only Sparks You Generate Are with Your Valentine, and Not from Metallic Balloons in Power Li...
February 09 2021 - 11:30AM
Business Wire
Prevent power outages by securing metallic
balloons with a weight
Valentine’s Day is only a few days away and couples across
California are busy making elaborate romantic plans that entail . .
. staying at home. But if those COVID-19-friendly, stay-at-home
plans involve metallic balloons, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
(PG&E) is reminding all of its customers to celebrate
responsibly. If balloons—particularly metallic ones—come into
contact with overhead power lines, they can disrupt electric
service, cause significant property damage and potentially result
in serious injuries. So, make sure to keep your Valentine’s Day
balloons inside and weighted down.
Last year, metallic balloons were the cause of 453 power outages
across PG&E’s service area in Northern and Central California,
disrupting electric service to more than 250,000 homes and
businesses. This is nearly a 30 percent
increase in balloon-caused outages from 2019.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen a significant increase in the
number of balloons floating into our power lines and causing
outages, and we suspect that there could be a correlation to the
pandemic and the advent of creative at-home celebrations. Metallic
balloons are an easy way to make at-home celebrations more festive,
but nothing puts a damper on a romantic evening faster than a
widespread power outage you, your friends or your neighbors. Keep
your holiday safe by ensuring metallic balloons are secured with a
weight,” said Ken Wells, Vice President, Electric Distribution,
PG&E.
This year, due to the pandemic, only 21 percent of people
celebrating Valentine’s Day are planning an evening out, the lowest
in 17 years, according to a National Retail Federation survey. As
more and more people celebrate at home, creativity is taking center
stage and balloons are a fun way to liven up February 14
celebrations. But if used improperly they can certainly put a
damper on the fun. Make sure to stay safe and have fun.
The top five cities in PG&E's coverage area that reported
balloon-related outages are Bakersfield, San Jose, Oakland,
Stockton and San Francisco. Sometimes these outages interrupt
electric service to important facilities such as hospitals, schools
and traffic lights. You can see for yourself by checking out this
video that shows how balloons can create safety issues: PG&E
Mylar Balloon Safety
In order to significantly reduce the number of balloon-caused
outages and to help ensure that everyone can safely enjoy
Valentine’s Day PG&E reminds customers to follow these
important safety tips for metallic balloons:
- “Look Up and Live!" Use caution and avoid celebrating with
metallic balloons near overhead electric lines.
- Make sure helium-filled metallic balloons are securely tied to
a weight that is heavy enough to prevent them from floating away.
Never remove the weight.
- When possible, keep metallic balloons indoors. Never permit
metallic balloons to be released outside, for everyone's
safety.
- Do not bundle metallic balloons together.
- Never attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite, drone or
toy that becomes caught in a power line. Leave it alone, and
immediately call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 to report the
problem.
- Never go near a power line that has fallen to the ground or is
dangling in the air. Always assume downed electric lines are
energized and extremely dangerous. Stay far away, keep others away
and immediately call 911 to alert the police and fire departments.
Other tips can be found at pge.com/beprepared
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San
Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers
some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in
Northern and Central California. For more information, visit
www.pge.com/ and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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